Valve structure



W. C. STEPHENSON.

VALVE STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12v 1918.

1,305,976. Patented June '3, 1919.

- I I Invervtcrfi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. STEPHENSON, WOBURN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO VOSE & SONS PIANO COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

VALVE STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Application filed February 12, 1918. Serial No. 216,736.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VVILLIAM C. STEPHEN- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at l Voburn, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve Structures; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to valve structures, and it has special reference to such struc tures as are particularly adapted for use in connection with pneumatic player pianos.

One of the objects of the invention is to improve and simplify the construction, assembly and operation of the valve structure shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,160,008, granted November 9, 1915 to Vose & Sons Piano Company, as assignee of the present inventor.

In a more specific aspect, it is the object of the present invention to provide a valve structure of simple, compact, durable and light construction, the component parts of which may be advantageously manufactured commercially on a large scale with uniformity, accuracy, and economy, and may be inexpensively assembled with facility and with such "a degree of nicety in the arrangement and location of parts that the resulting products are substantially absolute duplicates and require no adjustments. Furthermore, the correlation of parts is such that the valve structure functions noiselessly, with positive reliability and quick responsiveness, and without appreciable leakage.

In accordance with the invention, one of the features thereof resides in the use of a unitary, light and resilient movable valve member having a substantially spherical surface for engagement with its cooperating valve seat whereby a tight and noiseless closure of the valve port is effected. In order to increase the resiliency or yielding flexibility of the valve member and insure-absolute tightness, said member is preferably provided with a relatively large central recess.

Another feature of the invention embodies a metal lvalve housing and separate metal cover therefor, within which the movable valve member is disposed and adapted for movement to open and close a certain port or ports provided in the housing and in the cover. The housing and the cover are preferably die-cast or pressed, while the valve insuring uniformity in the throw of the valves without the necessity of regulation and adjustment.

Other objects of the invention and features of construction by which they are attained will be readily apparent from the following description and illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention. In its broader aspects, the invention is not restricted to the specific structural details and arrangement and location of parts set forth, and many modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a View, partially in side elevation and partially in vertical section, of a valve structure, and certain parts of the apparatus with which it is associated and in conjunction with which it functions when applied to a pneumatic player piano; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1, certain parts being broken away and removed for the sake of clearness; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the housing cover which embodies the upper part and valve seat and which is removed in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section, of a modification of the valve struc ture illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 5 is a. sectional view of a. further modified form of movable valve member.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the apparatus shown comprises a box 10, a valve cup or housing 12, a movable housing cover 14, a double-acting movable valve member 16,

a flexible pouch or diaphragm 18 and a pneumatic 20.

The box 10 is provided with a plurality of chambers 22 and 24 that are separated by an intermediate partition 26. The partition 26 isprovided with a bleed-valve 28 having a small aperture which communicates be tween the chambers 22 and 241, and is also provided with an opening 30 over which the flexible pouch or diaphragm 18 is positioned. The chamber 22 communicates by means of a pipe 32 with a pumping apparatus (not D well-known form, it being understood that the perforated note sheet serves to open and close the tracker bar end of the connection 36 in accordance with the position of its perforations.

The valve cup or housing 12 is substantially cylindrical in form and is preferably die-cast in metal. The housing 12 is open at the top and is providedat the bottom with port 38 and valve seat 40 whilea plurality of radially disposed ribs project inwardly from the cylindrical part of the housing and constitute guides for a. purpose to be hereinafter set forth. An opening 46 is provided through one side of the housing 12 which effects a communication between the interior of the housing and the pneumatic 20 through passages 48 and 50.

CAD

In assembling, the valve housing 12 is set a predetermined dlstanceinto a cylindrical "recess that is provided in the valve board 52 of the box 10 and, in order to insure tightness, said housing may be sealed or cemented in position. 7

The housing cover 14 is annular in form and is preferably stamped or pressed from 7 suitable sheet metal and is provided with a central port 5% having a rounded-overupturned lip 56 constituting a valve seat. A

laterally extending flange 58 forms'an integra l part of the cover 1d and serves to definitely positionsa-id cover within the upper end of the recess, hereinbefore referred to, in the valve board 52. r The upper port 5st establishes a connection between the interior of the housing 12 and a chamber60in the box 10 which has communication to the atmosphere. r e V The movable valve member 16 is disposed within the housing 12 for the purpose of opening and closing the upper and lower valve ports 54 and 38, and is preferably composed of soft, resilient material, such as rubber or-other analogous and suitable material. The lower surface of the valve member 16 is plane for cooperative engagement with the'valve seat 40, and the upper end thereof is curved or substantially spherical in form and is preferably provided witha large central recess 62 of material depth. This recess serves .to decrease the weight of the valve isset into a countersunk opening the hotin its lower position.

member and particularly to lend increased resiliency or flexibility thereto in order to insure an intimate engagement with the rounded-over valve seat 56 and to effect a tight closure of the port 54k when the valve member occupies its raised position. Intermediate the upper curved or spherical surface and the lower plane surface of the valve member 16, said valve member i's provided with a substantially cylindrical periphery which is adapted to be loosely engaged by the inner ends of the radial ribs 42 for the purpose of guiding and properly positioning the valve member during its upward and downward movements.

The actuation of the valve member 16 is effected in a manner to be set forth and is diaphragm shall be effective in controlling the action of the valve member, an adjust able stem 64: is provided, to which the valve member is attached. The stem projects up- -wa-rdly through the central recess 62, the upper end being provided with an adjusting head 66 and the lower end with a button 68 that normally rests upon a plurality of disks 70 that are suitably secured to the upper surface of the flexible pouch .18. A washer 72 tom of the valve member 16 and assists in its support. The valve member 16 is preferably molded or otherwise definitely formed.

By reason 0f the fact that the valve housing 12, thecover l4; and bhevalve member 16 are formed to. definite shape and are assembled in predetermined fixed relationship, the

throw of the valve member '16 is'positively prescribed, ,whenebyra uniformity in the throwsof a plurality of similar structures is insured and noregulation or adjustment thereof is requisite. The only adj ustdisks 70 when the valve member 16 is seated The pneumatic 20 may be of anysuitable construction and is adapted to ell-feet. the

actuation of the usual piano action .(not shown) in accordance with customary prac- 13106. The pneumatic 20 is illustrated in its open or expanded position. 7 H V Assuming the various parts of the apparatus to occupy the positionsshown and that a perforated note sheet uponthe tracker bar efiects the closure .of the pipe connection 36, the operation'of the apparatus is as follows: The pumping apparatus (not shown) operates to create a suction and. evacuate the chambers 22 and 24. The pressures on the opposite sidesofthe'fieX-ible pouch or diaphragm 18 being thus equalized, the valve member 16 is caused to close the bottom.

valve port 38 by reason of the downward 1,30 7

pressure acting upon said valve member. The upper valve port 54, therefore, is open and establishes communication between the chamber 60 at atmospheric pressure and the pneumatic 20, as will be understood.

When a perforationin the note sheet on the tracker bar moves into registry with the end of the connection 36, the chamber 24 is opened to the atmosphere, and since the size of the aperture in the bleed-valve 28 is very small, an unbalanced upward pressure upon the large area of the flexible pouch 18 results, which is sufficient to overcome the downward pressure on the relative small area of the resilient valve member 16. The valve member 16 is thus raised and its upper substantially spherical surface is brought into tight engagement with the rounded-over valve seat 56, whereby the upper valve port 54 is positively closed, while the lower valve port 38 is opened. Thus, the pneumatic 20 is immediately evacuated through the passages and 18, opening 46 and valve port 38 by the pumping apparatus, and said pneumatic suddenly collapses and actuates the corresponding hammer of the piano action, as will be understood.

As soon as the note sheet on the tracker bar again closes the connecting.v pipe 36, the chamber 24 is at once evacuated, whereby equalized pressures on the respective sides of the flexible pouch or diaphragm 18 are restored, and the unopposed downward pressure on the valve member 16 re-sets the valve upon its lower seat 40. The bottom port 38 is thus closed and the upper port 54; opened, whereby the initial and normal conditions are restored and the apparatus is in condition to repeat the cycle of operations described.

During the operation of the valve member 16, the ribs 42 perform the function of guides to maintain the valve in alinement, so that it is properly seated. The valve member 16, being composed of resilient material or being otherwise yielding in character, effects a tight closure of the several ports, and the upper end thereof, being substantially spherical, and, moreover, having a central recess, is particularly effective in this respect. Moreover, the curved contour of the valve, together with the roundedover edges of the upper valve seat 56, provide an easy and unobstructed path for the incoming air through the upper port whereby undesirable hissing is obviated. Furthermore, the simplicity and lightness ofthe valve member 16 contribute to quick responsiveness and permit of rapid repetition, while the unitary construction of the valve nrember aids and facilitates the assembly and also avoids disorganization, such as is caused by atmospheric conditions with valve members that comprise a plurality of parts that are cemented together,

In some instances it may be found desirable to employ a valve member 70, such as illustrated in the modified construction of Fig. 1, the respective ends 72 and 74 of which are similar in form to the upper end of the valve member 16 hereinbefore described, and which are respectively provided with relatively large central recesses 7 6 and 78. The intermediate portion of the valve is of substantially cylindrical shape for the purpose of coiiperating with the radial guiding ribs 80 in the manner already set forth. The valve housing 82 and removable cover 84 are generally similar in construction to the corresponding parts already described, except that the lower valve seat 86 is provided with a roundedover edge to coiiperate with the spherical surface of the valve member 70.

Referring to Fig. 5, a further modified form of movable valve member 88 is illustrated, which is similar to that shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with a central recess 90 that is open at the bottom and extends upwardly into the valve member to such a degree as to leave but a thin upper wall 92. This recess 90 serves the same function as the surface recesses 62, 76 and 78, and lends increased resilience and flexibility as Well as decreasing the weight of the movable valve member. A stem 94 is centrally disposed within the recess and is secured to the upper wall 92 in any suitable manner.

The preferred embodiments of the invention having been specifically described, that which is claimed as new is 1. A valve structure for pneumatic players having, in combination, a housing having a valve port therein provided with a valve seat, and a pneumatically operated floating valve member of unitary resilient construction having a convex substantially spherical segmental surface, provided with a relatively large open recess therein, adapted to be protruded into said valve port to tightly engage said valve seat and effect the closure of said valve port.

2. A valve structure for pneumatic players having, in combination, a housing having a valve port therein provided with a valve seat, and a floating valve member of resilient material loosely disposed in said housing and provided with a convex substantially spherical segmental surface having a recess therein to lighten and lend increased resiliency to the valve member, and pneumatic means for actuating said loosely disposed floating valve member to cause its recessed spherical surface to protrude into said port and tightly seat itself against said valve seat irrespective of angular displacements of said valve member.

3. A valve structure for pneumatic players having, in combination, a housing having a valve port provided with a rounded seat, a pneumatically operated floating valve member of resilient material normally adapted to rest Within said housing and having a convex substantially spherical segmental portion normally partially protruding into said valve port .to provide a smooth annular o as between said valve member and the rounded valve seat and adapted to be actuated into said port and in engagement With said valve seat to effect the closure of said port, said valve member having a relatively large open recess its convex portion to provide a thin resilient wall to intimately Lengage said valve seat.

4;. A valve structure for pneumatic play.- ers having, in combination, a housing having a valve port therein, guiding means car ried thereby, and a movable unitary valve member of resilient material disposed within said housing and comprising a cylindrical portion loosely engagingsaid guiding means, and .a portion :of substantially spherical segmental foim adapted to protrude into and 7 close said valve port.

c 5. Avalve stnuctu-re for pneumatic players having, in combination, a cup-shaped housing having top and bottom ports provided with valve seats and also having a side opening therein, and a mitary pneumatically operated douible -.acting movable resilient valve member disposed within said housing and adapted to engagethe respective valve seats to tightly close the respective top and hot.- tom ponts. A

6.. A valve stnueture having, in combination, a housing having top and bottom ports provided with valve seats and also having a side opening therein, and a double acting movable resilient valve member, provided with a substantially spherical segmental .su-rface having a relatively large central recess therein, -for codperating with said valve seats to close the respective ton and bottom ports. V

'7. A valve structure "having, in combination,'a housing having top ianclbottom ponts provided with valve seats associated there.

i with and also having a side opening therein, and a movable valve member of nesilient material disposed i hin said housing for cooperative engagement with the top and loottom v alve'seats forelosin wthe res ,eotive tap and bottom ports, said valve member having ,a substantially plane bottom surface and a substantially soherical top surface.

f 8. A valve structure having, in combination, cup-shaped housing having an open top and provided Witha bottom valve port and valve seat and an opening through its side, a cover independent of said housing disposed above it and having valve port and valve sea-t,;and a double acting movable resilient valve member d sposed within said housing for cooperative engagement w th the neeaove respective top and bottom valve seats to close the respective top and bottom ports.

.9. A valve structure having, eombinas tion, a block h ving a e ess th r in, an p top cup-shaped valve housing set into said recess a predetermined distance and having an aperture through its side, a cover for said housing set into said recess a predetermined distance and having a valve s at and port therein, and a movable valvemember dis.- posed within said housing and having ,a {definite normal clearance beneath said valve seat.

1 0. A valve structure having, in combine tion, a block having a recess therein, anopentop valve housing set into said rec ss a predetermined distance and having an aperture through its side, a cup-like cover for said housing having an outer flange, a vcentral valve port provided with a roundedsover valve seat and an upwardly projeeting lip, said cover being set into said recess with its outer flange resting against the upper surface of said block, and a movable valve Infill} her having a curved upper surface for 00 operative engagement with the rounded-over valve seat.

ll. A valve structure having, in combina- :tion, a :unitaryflcup-like metal housing provided with interior radially projecting zuiding ribs'and having an apenture through its side, a removable metal cover-disposed above said housing and having a central valve port and valve seat, and a movable valve member disposed loosely between the radial guiding ribs of said housing and comprisinga ,cylin- 'drical pontion for engagement with said ribs and a portionof substantially spherical form for cooperative engagement with said valve 7 seat. 7 c

12. A valve stnucture for pneumatic Eplay- 7 ms having, in combination, a housing-haw to and hottom ports provided with valve seatsQand a movable resilient valve member .of unitary construction disposed within said housing for cooperative engagement with the top and bottom valve seats for closing the respective top and hottom ports, said valve member being provided with a substantially plane hottoni surface and a substantially spherical top surface having ,a relatively large open recess therein.

13. A valve-structure for pneumatic playlarge recess therein to lighten and lendiin creased resiliency thereto.. 7

14. valve structure :for pneumatic players having, n combinations zhousinghavtrude into and close said valve port, said ing a valve (port therein, guiding means caroonvex portion of the valve member having ried by sai housing, and a pneumatically operated resilient valve member disposed Within said housing comprising a cyllndrical portion loosely engaging said guiding means and a convex portion of substantially spherical segmental form adapted to pro- Walls for engagement with the edges of said valve port.

WILLIAM C. STEPHENSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

a relatively large open recess in its spherical. surface to provide relatively thin resilient 

